Experimental prop rose with dropping petals

I think a black PCB where just the resistors are on the surface would be easier to disguise on stage... Surface mount resistors mounted with the value code downwards (!!) and solder joint spray painted black...

Stephen Eyles

I REALLY like this solution Clive. Theatrical effects and problem solving really lights a fire for me. Fun stuff.

Omar Riverstone

If they're not plug-ins you need to be able to power each loop individually for re-set.

Stevan Farkas

Cool it with a squirt from an upside down duster can

Nice!

Raven Luni

It might be interesting to try a small loop of nichrome instead of the resistors? I doubted it'd be practical to heat a short section for this, until I found a video on youtube of someone melting wax and plastic with a short length and just three D cells: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wftz-L-NlTE I wonder if it would make a more predictable petal drop, and be more easily disguised than a chunky resistor and socket. The smaller size might help both the separation time (smaller area to spearate mechanically), and re-attachment time (smaller thermal mass, quicker to re-set the wax) to the point of not needing to be pluggable ("hold the petal here and press the button").

David Reader

This is a very neat and simple idea - not that I would call you simple BC :-) No fancy electronics - just add power, the heat will do the rest.

Zeedijk Mike

May I sugest a soy based wax they melt at as little as 50C

A tiny square of flat stick on strip magnet wouldn't weigh very much. It should be more than enough to hold a petal. A few turns of copper wite round a small nail, or whateve should be enough to relese it and a reasonable current throuhg the coil for a very short period ought not cause any problens there. as for sticking to other petals, such a small amount of magnetism shouldn't cause that. I'm only expanding on an idea.

That was one of my first thoughts. But I was concerned at the extra bulk and the need for a magnetic field balanced with the magnets used. There was also the risk that the magnets would interact as one petal passed others.

Big Clive

I thought hot melt glue might be a bit too gooey to allow the petal to drop cleanly.

Big Clive

Best sudden unexpected reaction and chuckle ever.

Chris Muncy

You're so proficient at this work they'll be asking you to design the next Commonwealth / Olympic games batons, that are packed with sensory atmospheric, audio/video wireless and colour changing light features, and which have to pass through thousands of hands.

Andrew Donaldson

Having built one for a show that was DMX controlled this is a good option however I suggest having a more controlled constant current source so that you can't overpower the resistors. It could also allow for pre warming up to near melting point. I would also build in some sort of continuity tester so that you can verify that each petal is plugged in. Magnets in the petals make them fall fast and can make noise when they hit the ground.

Tokkan FX

Bees wax gets stronger with age, but using nice new soft wax would be good. (we have bees)

Nani Isobel

You could make a mould for casting pellets of candlewax, usin drilled holes, and just having some .5mm larger or smaller would effectively give a random drop.

Mike Hughes

Clive, have you thought of using very small magnets and small coils that when energised would interupt the magnetism and hopefully the petals will fall off. Then it's a reasonably quick job to replace all the petals. I'm sure you could work out the details. you could also sequence the time each petal falls off.

I winder whether hotmelt glue would be worth trying, if it didn't require dangerous power levels. If you can't find wedding petals big enough, how about crepe paper - it can be shaped like real petals. Lastly your resistors and connectors could be painted black, possibly using enamel paint to avoid a fire? But yes it is a lovely idea. And I bet it's eventual cost and simplicity would be very welcome to a small theatre. Or theeter as they say in US land.

Ymir the Frost Giant

Your prototype's unexpected drop delay could be due to the petal acting as a heatsink. The whole flower inside a jar might get a bit warmer.

Ymir the Frost Giant

#loveit

My sister's school did Beauty and the Beast, and the rose they hired from a prop company used magnets. They are scripted to each fall off at specific times throughout the show, rather than all at once. The prop the school used had a control box on a cable with individual buttons.

Cameron Steel

It was just a standard sized heater that could be adjusted in value as needed.

Big Clive

The story really works to your advantage here: The bell jar will ensure there's no ambient air flow which could really change the drop time. Hopefully the heating from stage lighting would be consistent. (I adore Beauty and the Beast)

Zac

Really loved this concept. Are you using the resistors also for their wider surface area (for the wax contact) or does that matter? Would something like Nitinol be a possible replacement? Not for the memory, in this example, but just as a hot wire. I suppose, you could also use Nitinol’s ability to change shape and have a coil shrink and let go of a simple hook or fastener on the back of the petal. Any who, fantastic idea you have.

What a brilliant idea! the prototype is impressive, will be good to see further iterations, interesting stuff props for the prop.

Bees wax might be more consistent. It should in theory be the same from all suppliers.

Mark Trombley

I did toy with that idea. This was just an initial prototype to test the theory.

Big Clive

You should have used different resistor values in each pedal so it times them to fall one after another, not all at once.

Matt Larson

Just call Teller of Penn & Teller! 😉